Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

आलवालांबुदानैश्च पावितं सकलं कुलम् । यथा श्रीस्तुलसीसंस्था नित्यमेव हि वर्द्धते

Transliteration

ālavālāṃbudānaiśca pāvitaṃ sakalaṃ kulam | yathā śrīstulasīsaṃsthā nityameva hi varddhate

Translation

Indem man Wasser in die Mulde am Wurzelgrund der Tulasī darbringt, wird die ganze Sippe gereinigt. Und wie die heilige Stätte der Tulasī fortwährend genährt wird, so wächst auch der Wohlstand (Śrī) beständig.

Word by Word

• आलवाल-अम्बु-दानैः: by giving water at the root-basin
• आलवाल-अम्बु-दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलवाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (आलवाले अम्बु-दानम्) = giving water at the basin/root; करण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पावितम्: purified
• पावितम्: Karta (Predicate/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘कुलम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम् (purified)

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Karta (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कुलम्’ विशेषण (entire)

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय (that which is purified)

• यथा: just as/as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• श्रीः: Śrī (Lakṣmī)/prosperity
• श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

• तुलसी-संस्था: situated in/associated with tulasī
• तुलसी-संस्था: Karta (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तुलस्यां संस्था) = situated in/associated with tulasī; ‘श्रीः’ विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (always)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle) = indeed/only

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) = for/indeed

• वर्द्धते: grows/increases
• वर्द्धते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; (grows/increases)

Speaker

Deductive: Brahmā in Brahma–Nārada dialogue (context of Tulasī-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tulasī-ālavalā (root-basin)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A close, intimate scene: hands pour water into the circular basin around Tulasī’s roots; the family stands nearby; a subtle presence of Śrī (Lakṣmī) is suggested by lotus motifs and a gentle golden glow.

Characters & Entities

• Tulasī
• Śrī (prosperity/Lakṣmī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple daily offerings to Tulasī are portrayed as purifying not only the individual but the whole family-line, while inviting enduring prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter sits inside Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, but the verse itself glorifies the ‘tīrtha of the home’—Tulasī worship—more than a named river or shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ālavālāmbu-dāna: offering water to the basin around Tulasī’s roots as a devotional act.